Commonwealth Club Of California

Janet Napolitano and Erwin Chemerinsky: A Conversation About Free Speech on Campus

It seems hardly a week goes by without another controversy over free speech on college campuses. On one side, there are increased demands to censor hateful, disrespectful and bullying expression and to ensure an inclusive and nondiscriminatory learning environment. On the other side, traditional free speech advocates charge that recent demands for censorship coddle students and threaten free inquiry. In his new book, Free Speech on Campus, Dean Erwin Chemerinsky argues that campuses must provide supportive learning environments for an increasingly diverse student body but can never restrict the expression of ideas. Join us for a spirited conversation about what constitutes free speech on campus and the implications for society at large.